AFC North facts for kids

The American Football Conference – Northern Division, or AFC North, is one of the four groups of teams in the American Football Conference (AFC). The AFC is part of the larger National Football League (NFL). This division was created in 2002 when the NFL changed its setup to include 32 teams.

The AFC North has four teams: the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. No team in this division has ever hosted a Super Bowl in their home stadium. However, teams from this division have won a total of eight Super Bowl titles. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six, and the Baltimore Ravens have won two.

How the AFC North Was Formed

The AFC North currently includes the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. When the division first started in 1970, it was called the AFC Central. Its first four teams were the Browns, Bengals, Steelers, and the Houston Oilers (who are now the Tennessee Titans).

The AFC North is special because it doesn't have any of the original teams from the American Football League (AFL). However, the Cincinnati Bengals joined the AFL in 1968. The Steelers and Browns joined the AFC in 1970, after the AFL and NFL merged. The Bengals' owner, Paul Brown, wanted his team to join the NFL after the merger.

Interestingly, the AFC North includes three cities from the old NFL (Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh) whose teams joined the AFC in 1970. The Bengals and Browns were both started by Paul Brown. The Ravens and Cleveland also have a unique history because the original Cleveland Browns team moved to Baltimore to become the Ravens. Only the Steelers, the oldest team in the division, don't have a direct link to Paul Brown.

A Look Back at AFC North History

The 1970s: Steelers Dominate

The AFC Central division began in 1970. The Browns and Steelers brought their long-standing Browns–Steelers rivalry to the new AFC. They were joined by the Houston Oilers and Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bengals won the first AFC Central title in 1970. But the Steelers quickly became the strongest team in the division. They won four Super Bowls in the 1970s. These were the Steelers' first league championships.

The 1980s: Bengals Reach the Super Bowl

In 1980, the Cleveland Browns broke the Steelers' winning streak. However, they lost in the playoffs. The Bengals were the only team from the AFC Central to play in the Super Bowl during this decade. They reached Super Bowls XVI and XXIII. Both times, they lost closely to the San Francisco 49ers.

The 1990s: Changes and New Teams

The Steelers became strong again in the 1990s. They won five division titles in six years. They also played in Super Bowl XXX, but lost to the Dallas Cowboys.

In 1992, the Houston Oilers were part of a famous playoff game. They lost a huge 32-point lead to the Buffalo Bills. This game, known as The Comeback, was the biggest comeback in NFL history for almost 30 years.

In 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars joined the league and were placed in the AFC Central. This was the first time the division's structure changed. Then, in 1996, the Cleveland Browns team moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Ravens. This was a very controversial decision. In 1997, the Oilers moved to Tennessee and later became the Titans in 1999. The Cleveland Browns team was brought back to the NFL in 1999. So, from 1999 to 2001, the division had six teams, which was unusual.

Besides the Steelers' Super Bowl appearance, the Tennessee Titans also reached Super Bowl XXXIV in the 1990s. They came very close to winning, losing by just one yard. On their way to the Super Bowl, they beat the Bills in a playoff game known as the Music City Miracle.

The 2000s: Ravens Win a Super Bowl and Realignment

The 2000s started with the Ravens winning Super Bowl XXXV. Their defense, led by Ray Lewis, was one of the best ever.

In 2002, the NFL changed its divisions. The AFC Central was renamed the AFC North. The Jaguars and Titans moved to the new AFC South division. The Bengals, Browns, and Steelers were guaranteed to stay in the same division. This was part of a deal with the city of Cleveland after the original Browns moved.

Because of this change, the AFC North became the division with the shortest distances between its teams. Three teams are close to Interstate 70. The Browns and Steelers, who are close rivals, even take a bus to their games instead of flying!

Since 2002, the Steelers have won the division title seven times. The Ravens and Bengals have each won four times. The Steelers won all their division games twice, in 2002 and 2008. The Bengals did this in 2009, and the Ravens in 2011.

Since 2002, the Steelers have made the playoffs ten times. The Ravens made it eight times, the Bengals seven times, and the Browns two times.

In 2005, the Steelers finished second in the division. But they made history by becoming the first team to win the Super Bowl as a #6 seed. In 2008, the Steelers won Super Bowl XLIII, their second Super Bowl in four years. This gave them a record six Super Bowl wins overall.

In 2009, the Cincinnati Bengals won all six of their division games. They won their first three division games by only three points each, earning them the nickname "Cardiac Cats." They won their first division title since 2005. The Ravens also made the playoffs that year.

The 2010s: Ravens and Bengals Win Division Titles

The Ravens won the division in 2011 and 2012. They went on to win Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, which was their second Super Bowl win.

As of 2012, the Steelers have the best overall record in the AFC North. The Browns are second, and the Ravens are third. The Bengals are the only team in the division with a losing record overall.

In 2015, the Bengals had a great start, winning their first eight games. They finished the season 12–4 and won the division. Their quarterback, Andy Dalton, had his best season but got injured. The Bengals lost to the Steelers in the playoffs. The Steelers then lost to the Denver Broncos, who went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Steelers won the division in 2016. They made it to the AFC Championship game but lost to the New England Patriots.

A very tough game happened in 2017 between the Bengals and Steelers. The Bengals started with a big lead, but the Steelers came back to win. The game was very physical, with many penalties and injuries. When asked about it, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said it was "AFC North football."

The Ravens won the division in 2019. They were the top seed in the AFC playoffs but were upset by the Tennessee Titans.

The 2020s: All Teams Make Playoffs

The Steelers won the division in 2020. The Ravens and Browns also made the playoffs as wild card teams. This was the Browns' first playoff appearance since 2002. The Browns beat the Steelers in the wild card round. The Ravens also won their wild card game. However, both teams lost in the next round.

The Bengals won the division in 2021. The Steelers also made the playoffs but lost in the wild card round. The Bengals had a great playoff run, beating the Raiders, Titans, and Chiefs to reach the Super Bowl. They lost Super Bowl LVI to the Rams.

The Cincinnati Bengals won the division again in 2022. Their game against the Buffalo Bills was stopped after Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed. The NFL later cancelled the game. The Bengals still won the division based on their winning percentage. The Baltimore Ravens also made the playoffs. In the wild card round, the Bengals beat the Ravens. The Bengals then upset the Bills in heavy snow. They reached the AFC Championship game for the second year in a row but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. This was the first time the Bengals made back-to-back championship appearances.

The Baltimore Ravens won the division in 2023 and were the top seed in the AFC. For the first time since 1935, all four teams in an NFL division finished the season with winning records. The Steelers also made history by having 20 straight seasons without a losing record.

Division Lineups Over the Years

Place cursor over year for division champ or Super Bowl team.

• In 1970, the division formed in the American Football Conference.
• After the 1995 season, the Cleveland Browns team moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens. The Cleveland Browns team was brought back in 1999. The Browns, Ravens, and NFL all agree that the Browns team after 1999 is a continuation of the original team from 1946.
• Houston moved to Memphis as the Tennessee Oilers in 1997. They moved to Nashville in 1998 (still called Oilers). The team was renamed the Tennessee Titans in 1999.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the league in 1995.
• The Baltimore Ravens joined the league in 1996.
• The division was renamed AFC North. Jacksonville and Tennessee moved to the AFC South.

Division Champions: Who Won Each Year?

+ In 1982, a players' strike shortened the season to nine games. The league held a special 16-team "Super Bowl Tournament" for the playoffs that year. Division standings were not officially recognized, but Cincinnati had the best record among the division teams.

++ The game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 was cancelled. This meant the Cincinnati Bengals played only 16 games in the 2022 season. However, this did not change who won the division, as the Bengals had two more wins than the Ravens.

Wild Card Teams: Playoff Qualifiers

+ In 1982, a players' strike shortened the season to nine games. The league held a special 16-team playoff tournament for this year.

Total Playoff Appearances

At the end of the 2022 season

• Includes records of Houston & Tennessee Oilers and Jacksonville through the 2001 season.

Season Results: Year by Year

^ In 1982, a players' strike shortened the regular season to nine games. Because of the strike, the league used a special 16-team "Super Bowl Tournament" for the playoffs that year. Division standings were not formally acknowledged, but Cincinnati had the best record of the division teams.

See Also

• Bengals–Browns rivalry
• Bengals–Ravens rivalry
• Bengals–Steelers rivalry
• Browns–Ravens rivalry
• Browns–Steelers rivalry
• Ravens–Steelers rivalry